Ferries from the early 1900s

By Joan Janzen

The early 1900s was a time when ferries were being constructed in Saskatchewan. According to the history book entitled ‘A Past to Cherish’, one of the first of these was the Prelate Crossing built in 1904. The government hired people from the area to build the ferry.

The history book records the cable ran over the forks of two trees, and had a lot of spring to it. Later a proper tower was built. The ferry was operated by Charlie Montgomery who lived near the river by a ford called Montgomery Crossing. In 1908 Bob Louden took it over and lived on the south side of the river.

The author of the article, Ralph Rose, said back in 1905 people at the ferry could watch groups of a dozen antelope coming down one coulee on the north side and going up another coulee. They would count a total of 600 or more, but the harsh winter of 1906-1907 cleaned most of them out. The government took over the management of Prelate Ferry in 1917.

The Leader Ferry was started around 1910 and the government took over it in 1917. The ferry had a hard time as the sand bars were always shifting. Sometimes it was necessary to use two ferries, one on the south and one on the north side of a sand bar. Very often travellers would have to drive in water from one to the other. At different times of the season, the ferry would have to be moved, depending on where the sand bars were. The Leader Ferry was operated by Billy Cleghorn and his assistants Walter Orr and Ab May.

Empress Ferry was built in 1913 northeast of the town of Empress. It was operated by A.H. Fjeldberg and his son Sig.

Sometimes it was necessary for travellers to drive in water to meet the Leader Ferry at a sand bar. Photo from A Past To Cherish

Prelate Ferry in 1933. Photo from A Past To Cherish